WDBJ7 TV

WDBJ7 journalists, Alison Parker and Adam Ward, who were killed by former colleague Vester Flanagan while broadcasting in Virginia, were shot in the head, officials have said.

Both of their causes of death are listed as homicides by the US state’s medical examiner’s office.

Alison Parker, 24, suffered gunshot wounds to the head and chest while Adam Ward, 27, died from gunshot wounds to the head and torso.

It is not yet clear how many times Alison Parker and Adam Ward were shot during the attack on August 26.

Parker and Ward both worked for WDBJ in Roanoke, Virginia, and were shot while broadcasting by a former employee of their station.

Vester Flanagan, 41, later died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. He had claimed staff had mistreated him during his time there.

During Friday morning’s broadcast on WDBJ, anchor Kim McBroom said it was “another tough morning for us, but we’re soldiering on”.

Two days after the horrifying events, Bridgewater Plaza in Moneta where Alison Parker and Adam Ward were killed during an on-air interview is re-opening.

“It’s very bittersweet, but we are glad to be back,” said one store manager, Lesley Kocsis.

She saw the shooting on TV before she came into work and told employees not to bother coming in.

Another shop at the plaza, CJ’s Coffee and Sandwich Shop, re-opened on Friday morning as well. Owner Chris Genna said it was an “emotional” day.

Vicki Gardner, who was being interviewed at the time of the attack and was shot in the back after Vester Flanagan missed her twice, got up and walked to the ambulance after being hit, said her husband Tim Gardner, speaking to ABC News.

Sh is now in a “good condition” at a hospital.

Tim Gardner said: “But the surgeon told me that a couple of centimeters and she wouldn’t be walking, and a couple of centimeters and she wouldn’t be alive.”

Former WDBJ7 reporter Vester Flanagan, who shot dead two ex-colleagues live on air in Virginia, had been ordered to seek medical help by his bosses, memos reveal.

The memos indicate the station tried to help the journalist before firing him in February 2013.

Vester Flanagan, known by his professional name as Bryce Williams, shot dead WDBJ7 reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward at a shopping centre in Moneta on August 26.

He filmed the attack and posted it on social media. ABC News also said it had received a rambling fax from Vester Flanagan, 41, describing himself as a “human powder keg”.

The White House said the attack showed the need for better gun control.

Colleagues at WDBJ7, in Roanoke, Virginia, held a moment of silence at 06:44 on August 27 – 24 hours on from the exact moment the reporter and cameraman were shot dead.

“Joining hands here on the desk,” said anchor Kim McBroom.

“It’s the only way to do it.”

Vester Flanagan was hired by WDBJ7 in March 2012. Within a few weeks, colleagues were complaining of “feeling threatened or uncomfortable” while working with him.

The memos highlight “heated confrontations” with camera operators and producers in front of guests while out covering stories.

By July 2012, Dan Dennison was requiring him to contact the Health Advocate, the employee assistance program, or face being sacked.

“We can no longer afford to have you engage in behaviors that constitute creation of a hostile work environment,” he said.

Dan Dennison said on August 26 Vester Flanagan had complained of racial discrimination but “all these allegations were deemed to be unfounded”.

He said when Vester Flanagan was fired, he had to be escorted from the building by police “because he was not going to leave willingly or under his own free will”.

In the 23-page fax to ABC News apparently sent by Vester Flanagan under his professional name, he complained of suffering discrimination and bullying at work for being gay and black.

He said his anger had been “building steadily” and that he had become a “human powder keg” that was “waiting to go BOOM!!!!”

The writer expressed admiration for the teenagers who killed 13 people at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999 and said the attack in Charleston, South Carolina, in which nine black churchgoers were killed in June this year, was what “sent me over the top”.

On August 26, a representative for Vester Flanagan’s family issued a statement expressing their “deepest condolences to the families of Alison Parker and Adam Ward”.

Alison Parker’s father said his family had lost their “bright, shining light”.

Alison Parker was conducting a live interview with a guest on tourism for the breakfast show, filmed by Adam Ward, when the incident occurred.

Suddenly, shots rang out, and viewers saw the camera fall to the ground. Screams could be heard and the footage captured a brief glimpse of the gunman.

The station cut back to the studio – journalists would later have to continue broadcasting on the deaths of two of their colleagues.

Hours later, the gunman posted footage online of himself opening fire at close range. This was later removed.

He killed himself after a police chase.

The interviewee, Vicki Gardner of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, is in a stable condition in hospital following surgery.

President Barack Obama repeated his call for tougher gun laws after the attack.

“We’re willing to spend trillions of dollars to prevent terrorist activities, but we haven’t been willing so far at least to impose some common sense gun safety measures,” he said.

Vester Lee Flanagan, who shot dead two Virginia journalists on live TV, apparently sent a rambling fax to ABC News describing himself as a “human powder keg” shortly after the attack.

Vester Flanagan, who had been dismissed by the WDBJ7 TV, killed himself after a police chase.

In the fax, a man said to be Vester Flanagan describes suffering discrimination and bullying for being gay and black.

The White House said Wednesday’s attack showed the need for better gun control.

The two people killed were WDBJ7 reporter Alison Parker, 24, and cameraman Adam Ward, 27.

WDBJ7 manager Jeff Marks said: “I cannot tell you how much they were loved.”

He said Vester Flanagan was an “unhappy man” who had to be escorted from the WDBJ7 building after being dismissed in 2013.

Alison Parker was conducting a live interview with a guest on tourism early on August 26 in the town of Moneta when the incident occurred.

Suddenly, shots rang out, and viewers saw the camera fall to the ground. Screams could be heard and the footage captured a brief glimpse of the gunman.

The station cut back to the studio – journalists would later have to continue broadcasting on the deaths of two of their colleagues.

Hours later, Vester Flanagan posted footage online of himself opening fire at close range, although this was later removed.

The woman who was interviewed at the time of the attack, Vicki Gardner of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, is in a stable condition in hospital following surgery.

ABC News said it received a 23-page fax, apparently sent by Vester Flanagan under his professional name Bryce Williams later on Wednesday, in which he said his anger had been “building steadily” and that he had become “human powder keg” that was “waiting to go BOOM!!!!”

The writer says he suffered racism and homophobia at work, and expresses admiration for the teenagers who killed 13 people at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999.

Vester Falanagan also said the attack in Charleston, South Carolina, in which nine black churchgoers were killed in June this year, was what “sent me over the top”.

Franklin County Sheriff Bill Overton said the ABC fax was being used by investigators, adding: “It’s obvious… this gentleman was disturbed in some way.”

Late on Wednesday, a representative for Vester Flanagan’s family issued a statement expressing their “deepest condolences to the families of Alison Parker and Adam Ward”.

“Our thoughts and prayers at this time are with the victim’s families and with WDBJ television station family,” the statement added.

President Barack Obama repeated his call for tougher gun laws after the attack.

“We’re willing to spend trillions of dollars to prevent terrorist activities, but we haven’t been willing so far at least to impose some common sense gun safety measures,” he said.

Virginia’s WDBJ7 TV reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward have been shot dead during a live report in the town of Moneta.

Alison Parker, 24, and Adam Ward, 27, were killed during an interview, the TV station said.

A man, apparently a disgruntled former employee of WDBJ7 TV, uploaded a video of himself shooting the reporter at close range on social media.

Augusta County Sheriff’s Office has named the suspect as Vester Lee Flanagan.

Known professionally as Bryce Williams, Vester Lee Flanagan is a former WDBJ7 staff member and described by police as a “person of interest”. His Twitter and Facebook accounts have now been suspended.

During the live broadcast, shots and Alison Parker’s screams could be heard, and the camera fell to the ground.

State police have denied reports that a pursuit is under way.

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe said in a statement: “We believe it was a disgruntled employee who fired at the TV crew. Not a case of terrorism. It is a criminal case.”

The attack took place at a large shopping centre, Bridgewater Plaza, near Smith Mountain Lake.

Alison Parker was starting a breakfast TV interview about tourism at the shopping centre when suddenly eight shots rang out, the camera spun and dropped to the ground, and her screams could be heard.

The footage then captures what appears to be a fleeting image of the gunman, who is wearing black trousers and a blue top – and holding a handgun.

The station said the woman who was being interviewed, Vicki Gardner of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, had survived the attack but was in hospital and required surgery.

“Alison and Adam died this morning at 06:45 shortly after the shots rang out. We do not know the motive or who the suspect or the killer is,” the station’s president and general manager, Jeffrey Marks, announced on air.

“I cannot tell you how much they were loved by the WDBJ7 team… our hearts are broken,” he said.

Jeffrey Marks added that the station’s building was in lockdown, under police protection.

“Police have advised us that as long as this person is on the loose, we should stay in the building. We have police protection,” he told the Associated Press news agency.

WDBJ7 anchor Chris Hurst revealed that he and Alison Parker had been in a relationship and had planned to marry.

“We didn’t share this publicly, but @AParkerWDBJ7 and I were very much in love. We just moved in together. I am numb,” he said on Twitter.

“We were together almost nine months. It was the best nine months of our lives. We wanted to get married. We just celebrated her 24th birthday.

“She was the most radiant woman I ever met. And for some reason she loved me back. She loved her family, her parents and her brother.”

Chris Hurst added that Alison Parker had worked on a regular basis with Adam Ward, and that he was heartbroken for his fiancée, a producer at the station.

This website has updated its privacy policy in compliance with EU GDPR 2016/679. Please read this to review the updates about which personal data we collect on our site. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our updated policy.AcceptRejectRead More